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Firstly, with respect to the data extraction in the meta analysis [1], two investigators independently extracted data and reached a consensus. We would like to know how to solve the problems, if there are discrepancies between the two investigators.

Secondly, in the results section, the investigators used a forest plot to compare the effect of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) gene mutation with PTEN gene non-mutation on the overall survival. However, we are wondering what does the overall survival mean, 2-year overall survival or 5-year overall survival? Meanwhile, the investigators did not evaluate its effect on progression-free survival (PFS). In our opinion, these issues should be added in the results section to make the meta-analysis better.

Finally, the investigators might have made a mistake on the funnel plots. They clarified that “Egger’s test also did not illustrate strong statistical evidence of publication bias (t = 0.12; P = 0.907)” in the results section, while the funnel plot in Fig. 4 is Begg’s funnel plot. In our opinion, they must correct this obvious mistake.

Thanks go to the authors for their contribution in supplying us a meta-analysis to explore the associations between PTEN gene mutations and prognosis in glioma. However, further studies with large samples are still needed to study the relationships between PTEN gene mutations and prognosis in glioma.